This invention relates in general to golf practice apparatus and in particular to such apparatus which are designed for indoor use.
Success in the game of golf requires a certain degree of individual skill in the manipulation of the various clubs and a feel for distances and course conditions. Developing a "feel" for distances and course conditions must be acquired by practice and by playing various courses under a variety of conditions. As one acquires a certain degree of ability in playing the game of golf, physical conditioning and continued practice with the various clubs permits the golfer to manipulate these clubs time after time in a somewhat consistent manner so that he can maintain his level of proficiency at the game.
In order to permit practicing with golf clubs at locations which are remote from a golf course, various concepts have been advanced. For example, a driving range provides one alternative to on-course practicing of long and medium-range shots, but this is still an out-of-doors activity, and is not suitable for the golfer who wishes to conveniently practice only five or ten minutes at any one time. Consequently, apparatus have been conceived in order to permit practicing of golf shots, such as putting, indoors so that practice is possbile for brief as well as extended periods of time regardless of weather conditions and virtually regardless of space limitations. Typically though, these apparatus have been limited solely to putting and means for practicing chipping and pitching shots are not available. The following listed patents provide some indication of what has been conceived in the area of indoor sports apparata and in particular golf apparata.
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Patentee Issue Date ______________________________________ 3,038,726 Hesidence 6/12/62 2,786,683 Shapiro 3/26/57 3,323,802 Riner 6/06/67 2,124,123 Rosengarten 7/19/38 2,668,711 McLaughlin 2/09/54 3,936,055 Scott 2/03/76 3,940,145 Gentiluomo 2/24/76 3,857,566 Lemelson 12/31/74 ______________________________________
Hesidence discloses a practice putting apparatus wherein a strip of spongy material is arranged with a backstop at each end and a golf cup hole adjacent thereto.
Shapiro discloses a golf practice device which includes a mat having its entire upper surface provided with upstanding flexible protuberances, a tripod tee device and a thin and hollow ball with numerous perforations to increase air resistance for practice purposes.
Riner discloses a putting rug which includes removable circular sections such that when a section is removed the void which remains simulates a golf cup hole.
Rosengarten discloses a golf practice mat wherein a missile-disc is disposed within the top surface of the mat which consists of wire-like bristles set in a fabric base and backed by a sheet of sponge rubber.
McLaughlin discloses a golf tee mat which includes a top layer of upwardly projecting fibers which are resilient in character and to some extent resemble turf.
Scott discloses a golf shot practice stage which includes a frame having side panels which define "green" and "fairway" playing surfaces. The panels are positionable at different angles to the horizontal in order to enable practice with different ball lies. The stage is foldable into compact form for storage.
Gentiluomo discloses a golf ball construction which includes a spherical coherent impact damping mass which is operative to dissipate golf club impact energy such that limited rebound energy is available for ball propulsion. This patent is cited for its disclosure of golf ball-like objects which are lighter in weight than are regulation golf balls.
Lemelson discloses an adhesive surface dart and shock-absorbing target arrangement wherein a plurality of hook-like projections are disposed on a dart member or similar projectile and a plurality of randomly oriented loop-like fibers are disposed on the target. The design of the projections and fibers is such that upon impact with each other they engageably interlock. This patent is cited for its disclosure of such interlocking means associated with a game or toy.
Although these various devices and apparatus may have provided some advantage to what was known in the art at the time of their conception, there remains a need for an apparatus which may be used indoors for simulation and practice of pitching and chipping, as well as putting strokes. The particular problem which has not been satisfied by any of the disclosed devices or apparatus is how to permit a full pitching or chipping swing including impact with and motion imparted to a golf ball-like object with the target hole positionable at varying distances from the point at which the ball is initially struck. A further consideration is how to simulate the "running" of a shot up to the hole for a pitch and run shot while still providing means to simulate the bite of a ball with backspin when such a ball lands on a green. These and related shortcomings of the disclosed devices and apparatus are overcome by the apparatus of the present invention.